FAITH — The Faith Street Dance brought a large crowd to fill downtown North Main Street to watch Divided by Four play a concert on Saturday. The event kicked off the festivities hosted by the town to celebrate the Fourth of July.

People brought chairs and crowded the Soda Shop porch in order to set up around the stage put up in front of the old Fire Department building in the town.

“We’re looking forward to having another good year. This is the 77th time we’ll be having the parade. We have generations that come back every year, and they come back home to celebrate the Fourth of July,” said Randall Barger, mayor of Faith and the entertainment chairman for the Faith July Fourth.

Although most people took advantage of the night to relax and enjoy the music, some did use the space cleared out directly in front of the stage. Couples danced together to the music and children spent their plentiful energy in between the crowd and the band.

Divided by Four is a local Rowan County band, formed from five members who all hail from the area.

The Faith Street Dance was hosted and organized by the Town of Faith itself. The rest of the festivities, such as the firework shows on two nights and the Fourth of July parade itself, are organized and funded by a separate organization called the Faith Fourth of July Committee.

The rest of the Faith Fourth of July celebrations will begin with concerts on Thursday and Friday behind the Faith Town Hall. Rides will open up for the festivities on Saturday, July 1. The parade itself will be on July 4 at 10:00 a.m. and fireworks will be on Saturday, July 1, and July 4 at 10:30 p.m. on both days.

“We’re looking forward to coming out and celebrating with everyone for July Fourth,” said Barger.